Secrets are temporary.

****

The men and the detective had assembled at the table for a hearty breakfast. The first question Maya asked was who cooked it. Kalikacharan Babu merrily answered it was Ram, and expressed his sadness that Khirodh wasn't the chef for today. Maya agreed that she was a rather good cook and must be a quick learner. That was all she could say. Ram served them the dishes and went to the market. The women of the family were absent from the scene.

Maya found Mrinjay to appear bitter. He had dark bags under his red-rimmed eyes and his hair was unkempt. He was not in a good mood. When the luchhi and white aloo curry came in, everyone ravished the dish, except Mrinjay, who reluctantly ate his food.

"Are you disturbed, for some reason?" Maya asked. Mrinjay shot her a bloodied glance. The veins on eyeballs were red as sindur. Maya shrugged. "Alright, you need not share. I just wanted to help. Because anyways, I am here to help."

Kalikacharan squinted his eyes at his eldest son. Mrinjay shifted uncomfortably in his chair. Deflating after a sigh, he said, "I want to find out who killed brother. It's eating my head."

"Must be a very powerful person, physically."

"That anyone can conclude, Maya. I need–"

"Not anyone, Mrinjay. I don't think any powerful human would be able to do this on their own. They need assistance."

"Where are you getting at?" Kalikacharan clutched his plate.

"That I am getting to know a lot of things, both pleasant and unpleasant. It will only be good if you keep transparency with me while communicating. Or else..."

"Or else?" the father and son asked in unison.

"It will be impossible. I can say I have got to know more through things other than a one-to-one conversation. Maybe that is what a detective should do." Maya scoffed. "Anyways, I think none of us want to be direct with words and appear rather cryptic."

Kalikacharan Babu pushed away his plate. His appetite had died. He adjusted his specs and glared at Maya. "So you know."

"I know many things, and I don't know even more."

"Do you know who we are?"

"The zamindars of Khatra."

Kalikacharan banged his fist on the table. "Don't play with us!"

"I am not. But you all kept things hidden from me. I had to only know it one day. And are you all stupid?" Kalikacharan Babu's eyes bulged out at her statment. Maya bit her lips. "Listen, it's not easy to kill someone of your race. One who did it has gathered great knowledge about you all."

"Then I think I already know who the killer is. You may leave Khatra. I will handle this on my own," Mrinjay said tartly.

"You don't," Kalikacharan said at the top of his voice. "You don't. I know life more than you. And we cannot just go and kill someone. What if the person whom we suspect is not guilty? We will then only let the killer laugh at our foolishness."

"By the way, who is it that you doubt?" Maya asked Mrinjay. The latter crossed his arms. "I am not saying the name since Baba believes they are innocent," he said. "I might very well be wrong–"

"But may also be right," Manihar said, speaking up for the first time. "I have my suspect list too."

"And are you willing to share?"

"The crow."

"What?" Kalikacharan scrunched his nose. "A crow?"

"Wait, wait." Mrinjay rose up from his chair. "Do you mean that red-eyed crow which often comes?"

"Call me mad, but I think that's a scary little bird. I might even have a phobia of that creature." Manihar shivered, turning paler than the old silver crockery on the table. "It's an incongruous creation of nature."

"Has it attacked you?" Mrinjay asked. "Because it has attacked me."

"It has attacked me too!" Manihar whispered through a dying scream, gesticulating frantically with his hands. "That thing wanted to tear off my flesh! I was saved by Ram. He drove away the crow."

"Shut up!" Kalikacharan screamed. "I can't believe you all carry my blood. Afraid of a mere crow? Are you men not ashamed?"

There was the sound of footsteps coming from the main entrance. Maya raised her hand and mouthed, "Drop the discussion." The heated conversation was closed for now. Everyone went back to eating. Mrinjay found his hunger back after the talk and could finish his food. Kalikacharan however got up from the table a few minutes later, leaving behind his unfinished curry.

Maya completed her food and washed her hands. She then went to the kitchen to meet Ram. "What did you buy from the market?" she asked casually.

"Oh! Some tomatoes, coriander seeds and black pepper. I need to grind the seeds now."

"The tea shop that you had recommended that day, it was a good one. I even got biscuits for free, thanks to the doctor."

"I think he is affectionate of you. I met him in the market today, and he was inquiring about your health and safety."

Maya smirked. "What?"

A flustered Ram waved his hands dismissively. "No no, I just mean that he might have a liking for you. Just a liking. Nothing more. And you should be aware of it as a woman. Women know the feeling. They catch whether a man is interested in them or not, but it's hardly possible for a man to read her mind."

"I don't think the Das family would like it if I spend too much time with the doctor." Maya's eyes went towards a box of hajmi goli and she popped two in her mouth. "Am I right?"

"Yes." Ram craned his neck to see if anyone was there near the kitchen. When sure of the absence of any intruder, he whispered, "They don't get along well. Though, I must say, Kalikacharan Babu–" He zipped his lips immediately. "Ah, I mean Kalikacharan Babu often gets sick and needs to call him. So they have reached a more or less neutral bond."

"You weren't going to tell that, Ram."

The cook flinched. "You are too observant and clever."

"I am a detective, Ram! I ought to be attentive."

He huffed. "Fine. I was going to say that Kalikacharan Babu is fond of Raktim Babu, even though he doesn't show. I don't know if being fond is the correct usage of words, but at least he has a weakness for the doctor. Maybe the doctor knows that too."

"He doesn't take any fees from Kalikacharan Babu."

"Yes. He never does... How did you know?"

Maya smiled. "I do know a lot of things." Her eyes lingered on the scars on Ram's neck and arms. She wanted to play a game with him. "From where did you get these wounds?"

"Uh... Actually I-I," Ram stuttered. "I-I got them from my la-last master. Yes, last master, yes," he said, half-assuring himself that he already passed hell.

Maya nodded. There was a mischievous sparkle in her eyes. "I see. I thought you were working here since your father died."

Ram was thrown aback. He froze on spot, teeth clattering. "I-I..."

"Nevermind Ram. I will find everything out on my own. But wait, are you married?"

"Yes. I am."

"Thank god you didn't lie. Won't you make me meet your lovely wife?"

Ram blushed. "Lovely indeed. Too lovely for me she is. Yes, I will make you meet her. Let me just put the vegetables aside." He kept the veggies in their respective places and cleaned the kitchen up. "Now, let us go."

Maya followed Ram out of the door and into the garden, and they went towards the backside of the mansion, which was less cared for. There, amidst the tall green grass stood a little humble cottage. Ram went and knocked on the door. The chiming of anklets could be heard. A woman opened the door. "Oh, yes... I am making lunch," she said, then her eyes fell on Maya. She turned to Ram for an answer.

"This is memsaheb Maya," Ram said. "She is the detective who came to investigate the death of Abhinoy Babu. Maya, meet my wife, Piya."

"Please come in," she welcomed Maya inside.

On entering Maya first saw a khatia and a mattress. Piya brought an armchair for Maya to sit. She gave the detective some water to drink. "Thank you," Maya said. She had heard a bit of accent in Piya's tone. "Are you not Bengali?"

"Memsaheb got it right. I am from Bihar."

"From Bihar? Oh your family must have shifted."

"You talk with memsaheb. I am going back to the mansion. I hope memsaheb will be able to return back on her own?"

"Yes, don't worry. You go and complete your chores."

Piya sat on the mattress with a plate of rice and picked up stones and dirt from it. "Are you from Calcutta?"

"Yes."

"How long are you in this detective profession?"

Maya smiled. Piya was a curious lady who knew how to continue a conversation with alacrity. "I am new in here, but fame expanded perceptions and people think I have been working for years, which isn't true."

"Don't you feel afraid of the Das?"

"Should I?"

Piya's brows creased. She got lost in thoughts. "I think everyone should be afraid of them. They are predators."

"Hunters can hunt for predators, Piya."

"You may be a strong woman. I am not. I think I won't be able to raise my head when talking to them. I am the wife of their servant."

"Have they done anything to instill fear in you?"

Piya looked puzzled, maybe even annoyed, as one could deduce from the lines on her forehead. "Are you really a detective?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Don't you know who they are?"

"I do. I am aware of their secrets."

Piya shook her head in exasperation. "Then it's alright. Maybe the blood of a lion flows through your body."

Maya studied her in quietude. Piya was strikingly beautiful. Her almond eyes below a pair of bushy unibrows had a playful shimmer and her skin was as fair as milk. She was lean with a narrow waist. The yellow saree sticking to her body accentuated her curves. She contrasted Ram in every possible way– she was fresh as spring and youthful while he was a dead barren tree with no charm.

"When did you marry Ram?"

"Some years it has been." There was a painful flicker in her eyes. "I married him after my father died."

"And your mother?"

"I lost her at ten."

"Oh... Sorry that you don't have any family other than Ram."

"Not that I wish I had. I think they–" Piya pursed her lips. "They would not be happy to know I have married into a family of non-humans."

"Since you are willing to talk to me, I assume so, will you be able to answer some of my questions?"

"As long as it doesn't endanger me."

"I am a secret keeper. Some mornings I get a bloated stomach only for thi reason– I take in too much of people."

"Hmm... Ask away."

"How would you describe the three sons, alive and dead, of Kalikacharan Babu?"

Piya furrowed her brows. "Since you promise to keep my opinions protected, I am trusting you with this." She kept the plate of rice on the floor and stared at the roof above her head. "Manihar Babu is the brat. He knows nothing about zamindari or etiquettes. Abhinoy Babu was an orthodox man. He believed in the inferiority of women, much like his father, and was always the favourite." Piya wiped her face with her aanchal. "Anything else?"

"You skipped Mrinjay."

Piya trembled. She refused to look at Maya, her glassy eyes feigning to be ignorant of the deliberate mistake. "Mrinjay Babu and Kalikacharan Babu have given me shelter. It's a debt of salt. I cannot share anything about them."

"Good to know there's something worth knowing about them, at least, which you hide."

Piya flinched. Maya bombarded her with the next question. "Do you know anything about the relationship of the doctor, Raktim Babu, with Kalikacharan Babu?"

"My husband respects the doctor a lot. I don't know much about him, but since my husband feels he is good, I can only count on that. As of the doctor's relationship with Kalikacharan Babu, no, I don't know anything. But the doctor has been coming here to check on him for a long time. Kalikacharan Babu is a regular patient."

Maya was a bit disappointed at the lack of information. Piya's answer cleared one thing though, that Ram measured what to share with his wife and what to keep her unaware about.

"But, since you have come, I should tell you one thing," Piya whispered, curling into a ball. "Please don't tell anyone that I said this to you."

"I won't, promise. You can be free with me."

"There's something fishy about Benoy Das' room."

"Benoy Das? You mean, the father of Kalikacharan Babu?"

"Yes." Piya gulped. "It's in the uppermost floor, where the portraits of the family are kept. If you search for it, you will find it. But I am not sure if you should go in there."

"Have you seen it?"

Piya gasped. Her feet went cold. She put her hand on her chest. "No, no!"

Maya's eyes enlarged. She got up from the chair. "Thank you for speaking to me. I think I will return back now."

"Be safe. May God bless you."

Maya walked towards the mansion, stopping once to admire the fountain. Suddenly, the infamous crow came and perched upon her shoulder. Goosebumps crawled on her skin. "Who are you?" she asked. "You attack the Das, but don't harm me. Are you fooling me or do you wish to warn me about something?"

The crow just cawed, but this time, it was quieter than usual, as if its voice was drenched in sadness. Maya took a deep breath when the crow flew away.

"I wonder if I have ever met this crow, in its true form, in Khatra. I must have, and I must find who it is."